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Category: diamonds

  • 21 Napoleon Diamond Necklace

    21 Napoleon Diamond Necklace

    One of the most spectacular all-diamond pieces of jewelry in the Smithsonian Insitution is the Napoleon necklace. Thought to have originally been owned by Catherine the Great of Russia, it was presented by the Emperor Napoleon of France to his second wife, Marie-Louise of Austria on the birth of their son in 1811. The silver and gold set necklace contains172 diamonds weighing 275 carats – 28 oval and cushion-cut diamonds, dangling 19 briolette-cut oval and pear shaped diamonds and accented by small, round diamonds and diamond set motifs in a silver and gold setting. The diamonds are cut in “old mine” style, the precursor to the modern brilliant cut, and have a high degree of fire (flashes of color as the stone moves in light), but less brilliance due to less light refraction through the top of the stone.

    The necklace has an estimated total gem weight of 275 carats, and the largest single diamond on it weighs approximately 10 carats. When Marie-Louise died in 1847, the necklace was given to her sister-in-law, Archduchess Sophie of Austria, who removed two stones to shorten the necklace. Earrings were made with the two removed stones, the whereabouts of which are unknown.

    In 1872, the necklace was bequeathed to the Archduchess’ son, Archduke Karl Ludwig of Austria. In 1948, Archduke Ludwig’s grandson, Prince Franz Joseph of Liechtenstein, sold the necklace to a French collector who then sold it to Harry Winston in 1960. Marjorie Merriweather Post obtained the necklace from Winston and donated it to the Smithsonian Institution in 1962.

    It’s difficult to value a piece like this in today’s market. However, in 1993, the auction house Christie’s in Geneva sold another necklace that Napoleon had given to Marie-Louise that was composed of rubies and diamonds. This necklace sold for $13 million.

  • 34 Conductor of heat

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    Except for most  HYPERLINK “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue” o “Blue” blue diamonds, which are  HYPERLINK “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semiconductor” o “Semiconductor” semiconductors, diamonds are good electrical  HYPERLINK “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insulator” o “Insulator” insulators, meaning they reduce the flow of electricity. Blue diamonds owe their semi-conductive property to  HYPERLINK “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boron” o “Boron” boron impurities, which act as a  HYPERLINK “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doping_%28semiconductors%29” o “Doping (semiconductors)” doping agent and cause  HYPERLINK “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-type_semiconductor” o “P-type semiconductor” p-type semiconductor behavior. Diamonds appear cold and hard, but theyre good conductors of heat because of the strong chemical bonds within the crystal.

    Most natural blue diamonds contain  HYPERLINK “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boron” o “Boron” boron atoms which replace carbon atoms in the crystal matrix, and also have high thermal conductivity. Heat is a property contained in most materials, and has the tendency to flow to areas of lesser heat. A substance that is a thermal insulator reduced the flow of heat.

    Diamonds are actually excellent conductors of heat, better than more well-known heat conductors like copper or silver. Diamonds will warm-up. Its as if when we talk about a diamonds fire, it can refer to it figuratively as well as literally!

    As much as we associate diamonds for their beauty and use as jewelry, only about 20% of all diamonds mined are gem-quality. The rest are good only for industrial uses. Because its the hardest substance, its used to cut other materials such as stone, metal and concrete. Its also used to grind eyeglasses and computer chips.

    Most industrial diamonds are mined, but scientists have successfully engineered synthetic industrial diamonds that have more versatile uses than mined diamonds. Now major companies like GE and even DeBeers make synthetic diamonds. The primary use for these synthetic industrial diamonds is to conduct heat away from devices that require a constant temperature for safe and proper operation.
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  • bonded diamonds 405

    Bonded Diamonds

    Before you start shopping for diamonds,
    consider dealing with a bonded jeweler.
    Bonded jewelers sell bonded diamonds,
    and there are very few bonded jewelers in
    the world. In fact, out of all of the jewelers
    in the world, only about 5% of them are
    bonded. Buying a bonded diamond will
    cost more than buying a non-bonded
    diamond, but when you look at what you
    get with the bonded option, you will see
    that it is well worth the extra expense.

    First, bonded diamonds have a buy back
    policy for the life of the diamond. No matter
    how long you have had the diamond, you can
    take it back to the bonded jeweler and sell it
    back to him or her, for a 100% refund. If a
    jeweler does not offer a 100% buy back
    guarantee, for the life of the diamond, then
    you should take a closer look at the diamond
    to see what is wrong with it.

    Bonded diamonds also have a breakage
    policy. If the stone breaks or chips, the
    bonded jeweler will replace it with a new one
    one time. No jeweler would ever offer such
    a policy on any stone that was not 100%
    natural, so just the offer of such a policy
    should give you piece of mind concerning
    the quality of the diamond. Bonded
    diamonds are natural and untreated.

    Bonded diamonds increase in value, with a
    fixed appreciation rate that is designed to
    keep up with inflation. This means that a
    diamond that is worth a certain amount of
    money today will be worth more in the future,
    as the price of diamonds continues to rise.
    This generally does not apply to buy backs,
    however. It typically applies to trade-ins.

    Alternately, by purchasing a bonded
    diamond, you are protected against the
    possibility of a market crash. If a market
    crash occurs, the value of diamonds will
    drop. However, the bonded jeweler
    guarantees to refund you the difference
    between what the diamond is now worth
    and what you paid for it before the market
    crash.

    It may be difficult to find a bonded jeweler in
    your area, but if you can, this is who you
    want to deal with, as opposed to dealing
    with an un-bonded jeweler. Specifically tell
    the jeweler that you are only interested in
    bonded diamonds. You can find a bonded
    jeweler in your area by using various online
    resources, or by calling the local jewelry
    stores.

    ()

    PPPPP

  • how to buy diamond engagement rings 237

    How to Buy Diamond Engagement Rings

    There is much to consider when purchasing
    a diamond especially diamond
    engagement rings! The tradition of
    presenting a woman with a diamond
    engagement ring when proposing began in
    1477 when Archduke Maximilian presented
    a diamond ring to Mary of Burgundy and
    in most cases, the woman you plan to
    propose to will expect a ring to accompany
    that proposal!

    First, determine how much ring you can
    afford. Most people use the two months
    salary rule. This means that the ring should
    cost the equivalent of two months of your
    current salary. Because you have other bills
    to pay, saving up this amount of money may
    take quite a bit of time. You should consider
    financing. Simply go to the jeweler of your
    choice and tell them that you plan to buy an
    engagement ring, and that financing will be
    necessary. Go ahead and get the credit
    check out of the way, find out what your
    payments will be, and how much of a down
    payment is required.

    Now, have your mother, sister, or your
    girlfriends best friend take your girlfriend
    shopping, and make sure that they gaze at
    the engagement rings to get an idea of what
    she might like. Make sure that the jewelry
    store you buy the ring from will allow you to
    return the ring, if that is required, or allow
    your girlfriend to exchange it for another if
    she isnt happy with it!

    ()

    PPPPP

  • diamond brands and what they mean 188

    Diamond Brands and What They Mean

    Diamonds are one of the few products that
    simply cannot be branded. Even though
    there are different cuts, different grades, and
    different values placed on each and every
    diamond in existence, no diamond is any
    specific brand just as gold is not a specific
    brand.

    Branding is actually based on who owns the
    diamond. For instance, if DeBeers owns the
    diamond, it is a DeBeers Diamond but it is
    still just a diamond. If the diamond was cut by
    a specific well known cutter, then it might be
    branded in that way as well but it usually
    isnt. It is still branded based on who owns it
    at the time. So basically, when it comes down
    to it diamond brands mean absolutely
    nothing at all.

    Do not allow a jeweler to try to talk you into
    paying an exorbitant price on a diamond
    because it is a specific brand. This is a bit
    of trickery used by unscrupulous jewelers
    when they know that they are dealing with
    people who dont know much about
    diamonds. Remember that diamonds are
    not actually branded unless mother nature
    has her own brand!

    ()

    PPPPP

  • 11 Fire

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    The term fire is commonly used to describe a diamond, but what does it refer to? The ancient Greeks thought that fire in a diamond symbolized the eternal flame of love. Fire in a diamond is the dispersed light that appears as rainbow-like flashes of color. You can usually observe a diamonds fire in places like restaurants or clubs where the light is lower. The amount of fire depends on how the stone is cut and faceted. Older cut diamonds appear as if they have more fire because theyre cut with steep crown angles and flatter tables of the facets.

    Other characteristics that are used to evaluate a diamond include brilliance and scintillation. Brilliance requires both brightness and contrast in the diamond and refers to how light is reflected back to the viewer, or return-of-light in the diamond trade. To many jewelers, its the most important quality in a diamond, and is what people react to when they exclaim over a diamond.

    Diamonds also have a quality called scintillation. Scintillation refers to how light disperses from the stone when its moved. While brilliance is the quality of dispersed light when the diamond is in a stationary position, scintillation is observed when the diamond moves in the light. Theyre closely related qualities, while fire is a different attribute.

    The way a diamond is cut will determine how much fire or brilliance it has, and often one may have to make a trade-off for one quality or another. Which way is the best way to go? For the most part, most diamonds are cut more for brilliance and scintillation rather than for fire. When shopping for a diamond remember that its in investment, yes. But what really matters is whether you love it. Qualities like brilliance vs. fire really do pale in comparison to that one critical element!

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  • 7 Gem cutting

    7 Gem cutting – how it has changed over the years (50% of the original rough diamond is lost during the cutting of a round brilliant gem)

    How does a lump of mineral or crystal become a dazzling diamond, ruby or sapphire? It’s an amazing process called gem cutting or lapidary and makes all the difference in the final value of the stone. It was developed first in Venice in the early 1300’s and was seen in Paris and Bruges in the mid-1400s.Good cutting is a precise art that catches the light just so, and captures the beauty of the gem. Poor cutting destroys it.

    Most gems start out actually being sawed with a special lapidary saw into a rough shape, such as square, round, pear or marquise. It’s then ground with a diamond-infused wheel to further refine the shape. The gem cutter uses a series of finer and finer abrasives to get closer to the clear heart of the gem. Cabochon gems are polished to a smooth overall surface, sometimes held by hand, but more often fixed or “dopped” with wax or adhesive to a dowel to hold it while the lapidarist polishes the stone.

    Transparent stones are most often faceted, a process where flat planes of the stone are cut and polished over the surface in a precise, symmetrical pattern. It’s critical that the planes match up perfectly, or the beauty of how the light is captured by the facets will be lost.
    If a stone is cut to flat or not polished, the brilliance of the gem will also be lost. When a stone is properly faceted, it captures the light so it bounces around inside the stone, giving it the sparkle we love and that helps determine the value of the gem. If the stone is cut too flat, or the facets don’t meet precisely, the light doesn’t bounce off the angles in the facets to maximum effect.

  • 43 National gem emeralds

    43 National gem collection
    The Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC is home to so much that’s rare and wonderful on the planet. One of the more spectacular collections is the collection of gems in the Museum of Natural History. There you can see wonderful crystals and minerals in their natural form, as well as some of the most incredible pieces of jewelry every created. There are crowns worn by royalty, enormous diamond earrings worn by the doomed French queen Marie-Antoinette.
    They’re all stunning and awe-inspiring, but nothing is more mysterious than the rare earth-green of the emerald. The Smithsonian is home to the most fabulous emeralds ever known, and we’re incredibly fortunate to have them in this country.
    One such emerald is the Hooker Emerald which legend has it was once part of the belt buckle of a Turkish sultan. Another brilliant example of emerald jewelry, combined with diamonds is the Spanish Inquisition necklace. It’s a spectacular double row of diamond shapes, ending in a pendant of a chandelier shape with emeralds.
    There is also a magnificent 37.8-carat emerald called the Chalk Emerald, that is set with diamonds and was found in the mines of Columbia. The Mackay Emerald Necklace is also set with diamonds and is a brilliant example of how a stone like an emerald, which often contains flaws or inclusions, is still a beautiful piece of gemstone jewelry.

    The collection at the Smithsonian is not to be missed, not only for the incredible selection of emeralds it contains, but because it’s a chance to be as close to some of the world’s most fabulous gemstone necklace as most of us can ever be! We may never own anything like this, but we can dream, can’t we?

  • where diamonds are mined 408

    Where Diamonds are Mined

    Argye mine located in the Kimberley region
    in the far north east of Western Australia.
    Owned by Rio Tinto, this mine is the worlds
    largest single producer of volume of
    diamonds. However, due to low proportion
    of gem quality diamonds it is not the value
    leader. It does produce 90-95% of the
    worlds supply of pink diamonds.

    Diavik is also owned by Rio Tinto, located in
    Canada it is a very large mine. It is located
    north of Yellowknife and south of the Artic
    Circle on an island. The island is connected
    by an ice road. It is also an important part of
    the regions economy employing more than
    700 people and producing more than 8 million
    carats annually.

    Ekati diamond mine is owned by BHP
    Billiton and located south of the artic circle
    in the Northwest Territories of Canada.
    The Ekati is Canadas first operational
    diamond mine. Diamonds mined here
    are sold under the Aurias trade name
    Authenticity is verified through Canada
    Mark service. CanadaMark service is also
    owned by BHP Billiton Diamonds, Inc.

    Baken diamond mine is located along the
    lower Orange River in South Africa. It is
    owned and operated by Trans Hex. The
    average size stone for 2004 was 1.29
    carats. In 2004, this mine produced a
    78.9 carat D color flawless diamond that
    sold for more than 1.8 million dollars (US),
    as well as a 27.67 pink diamond that was
    sold for over 1 million US dollars.

    Merlin is the second of only two diamond
    mines in Australia. No longer operating it
    was owned by Rio Tinto and sold to Striker
    Resources, who has explored the
    possibilities of reopening the mine.

    Orapa is the worlds largest diamond mine.
    It us located 240 Km west of
    Francistown. The mine is owned by
    Debswana which is a partnership
    between DeBeers and the government of
    Botswana. This mine operates 7 days a
    week. It maintains pre primary and
    primary schools for its employees children.
    There is also a 100 bed hospital and game
    park. This mine began production in 1971
    and is the oldest mine owned by the
    Debswana Company.

    The Premier mine located in Cullinan, South
    Africa produced the largest gem diamond
    ever in 1905. The Cullinan Diamond
    weighed 3,106.75 carats. This mine also
    produced the Golden Jubilee diamond
    which weighed 545.67 carats. This mine is
    owned by the De Beers Company and was
    renamed The Cullinan Diamond Mine in
    2003 in celebration of its centennial.

    ()

    PPPPP

  • 3 Gemstones are crysals

    3 Gemstones are mineral crystals

    What specifically are gems and gemstones? We know some of the most common ones – emeralds, rubies, sapphires and diamonds. But what exactly are they, how are they made and why we do we prize them so highly?

    The International Gem Society defines a gem as “a mineral that has been chosen for its beauty and durability, then cut and polished for human adornment.”

    Most gems are minerals. Others, like pearls or amber, are created from living organisms. Usually gems are of a color that mirrors other natural elements we consider beautiful or valuable. Emeralds mirror the lush green of plant life, sapphires are the color of the sky and rubies are a rich blood-red. There are variations in color in all of these gems, of course, and in diamonds, but those are the colors most normally associated with them. Diamonds can come in colors as well, with pink and canary diamonds being highly prized variants.

    Most gems are hard and durable, although pearls can be easily damaged, as can opals and moonstones. Usually a gemstone has to be durable enough to wear as adornment, but others, while too soft to wear, are valued by collectors. Pearls can eventually disintegrate, even if all you do is wipe dust off them. And if you spray hairspray or perfume on them, this can also damage your pearls.

    Opals are highly prized for their beauty and fire and make exquisite jewelry, but are extraordinarily susceptible to damage. They can shatter easily if dropped. And there’s a story of a woman who wore an opal brooch to a holiday party. When she left the warmth of the party to leave and the brooch experienced the sudden drop in temperature, it shattered, just like a glass that’s been heated and then cooled too quickly.